The Christmas Elf
by Azura Nyx
Summary: It is Christmas time for those aboard the Destiny, but nobody really wants to celebrate it.  A mysterious person begins giving presents to everyone on the ship and nobody knows who this "Christmas Elf" is.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **The Christmas Elf

**Author: **Azura Nyx

**Characters: **Eli Wallace, Chloe Armstrong, Matthew Scott, Tamara Johansen, Everett Young, Dr. Nicholas Rush (only mentioned), Sgt. Greer (only mentioned)

**Pairings: **Lt. Matthew Scott/Chloe Armstrong, Tamara Johansen/Everett Young

**Type: **Holiday/Romance/Comfort

**Length: **~1900 words (8 pages)

**Warnings/Disclaimers: **The characters were not created by me, unfortunately. However, the greatness of Stargate: Universe is owned by its writers.

**Rating: **PG (for some bad language)

**Summary: **It is Christmas time for those aboard the _Destiny_, but nobody really wants to celebrate it. A mysterious person begins giving presents to everyone on the ship and nobody knows who this "Christmas Elf" is.

_**The Christmas Elf**_

**Chapter 1**

Many people from various countries on Earth celebrate Christmas. It's a holiday of gifts, food, family, and loads of fun… to some. Who aboard _Destiny _would celebrate Christmas now? Was there anything to celebrate? The people aboard this ship were hungry, lost, and billions of light years from their home world. Most of those trapped on _Destiny _never tried to celebrate Christmas at all this year. They viewed it as a potential waste of time when everyone should be trying to get back to Earth. At least… that was the logic of _some _of them.

It was December 1st, and Chloe and Matt had been eating lunch in the mess hall together as usual. After Chloe took a bite of her so-called "food," she asked her boyfriend, "Did you sleep well last night? You seemed more restless than you have been in a while."

"No," Matt answered. "Then again… I did have a bad dream, but it was nothing. It's never anything to worry about with you around."

A grin emerged on to Chloe's lips. "I was just wondering because you woke up several times during the night."

"I did?"

"Yeah! Gosh, you must've gotten up and came back to bed like… five times throughout the entire night."

Confused, Matt narrowed his eyes. "Chloe, I don't remember waking up at all last night. Are you sure you didn't just hear the ship going into hyperspace?"

"I know it wasn't that. The sound was unmistakable. Do you have a history of sleep walking? Maybe-"

"No, I've never done that…not even during my first few months of being on the _Destiny_."

Armstrong's mouth gaped open in shock. It just didn't make sense to her. "Then… I can assume you didn't leave _this_ on my nightstand?" She held up a gorgeous white pearl necklace. It was made of genuine pearls too because each one had not been perfectly round unlike those created in a lab.

"Whoa! I wish I had," exclaimed Lt. Scott.

"Matt," Chloe sincerely began. "If you didn't give me these, then… who in the hell did?"

Tamara, who was sitting on another bench ahead of them, couldn't help but to over their conversation. She turned around and inquired Chloe, "You received a gift last night too?"

"Yeah," replied Armstrong. "…a pearl necklace."

"Well, I didn't get anything like that, but I did get a pair of beautiful sapphire earrings. I-I-I hadn't thought much of it at first because I originally assumed Everett gave them to me. The only problem is there is no way he could have got them…. He's strict about when he uses the communication stones and whatnot."

Chloe rested her elbows on the table, and put her hands on her forehead. "Okay… this is _too _weird."

"The only thing I can suggest is I can notify Colonel Young about it. Perhaps he can… I don't know… put some sort of rule in place where every hallway will be strictly monitored by military personnel."

A few minutes passed:

"So… let me get this straight," Everett began, clarifying the sanity of what he had just heard. "You are proposing I use some of the military personnel to observe the hallways during the late hours of night to keep an eye out for someone who is giving out gifts?"

"Oh c'mon, sir," Scott begged. "You have to admit this doesn't seem quite right. I mean, both Chloe and TJ received gifts last night from a mysterious person aboard this ship. Not just _ordinary, casual_ things either: expensive, top-of-the-line jewelry!"

Smirking, Young sat back down in his chair. "Of course all of this appears crazy, Lieutenant! That's because it is. Even so, nobody's getting hurt, are they? It's just someone leaving Christmas presents."

Silence fell in the office at this thought.

"I-I-I guess I never thought of it _that _way before, sir," Lt. Scott remarked, his eyes completely aroused in reflection.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Nothing had been done about the mysterious, gift-giving Christmas elf, and more presents were being given to various people aboard the _Destiny_. Sgt. Greer, for example, received a black 9mm gun as well as the weapon care set he had been wanting for a long time- years, actually. As for Colonel Young, he eventually received a customized golden pocket watch. Everett is usually one to lose track of time rather easily, so… this was a perfect gift!

"Aren't you the _least _bit concerned as to who has been giving these Christmas presents," Tamara inquired Colonel Young as they were talking in his personal quarters.

"It's different, I'll admit that," replied Everett. "Even so, does it really matter who's giving these gifts? To be honest, I'm just glad _someone _here is celebrating something."

"What do you mean? Most people have decorated their individual spaces already. People have hung up wreaths and strings of lights…."

"Decorating for Christmas is not the same as getting into the spirit of the holiday, TJ. Granted, giving presents doesn't mean someone is into the Christmas mood either. It seems to me this person who is trying to be the… elf is attempting to get people interested into the holidays this year given the circumstances."

A grin uncontrollably etched across TJ's mouth. "How do you know so much about this 'elf,' huh?"

"I'm not the one giving presents if that's what you're implying," Young chuckled at the idea. "Besides, why would I buy myself a gift? Someone gave me a golden pocket watch, remember?"

"Yeah… you're right. Still, you have to admit: you've been in a very unusual, chipper mood lately."

Everett gently placed his hand on top of Tamara's. "Shouldn't I be? It's the first Christmas I can spend with you." They drew closer to each other, and kissed.

Three weeks passed, and the daily lunch hour came around. Eli, Chloe, and Matt were sitting together at a table. They had been discussing the popular "Christmas elf" issue.

"Wait a moment! You didn't get anything yet, Eli," a rather surprised Chloe asked with exclamation.

The "math boy" shook his head as he answered, "No, uh-uh. It's just as well. I don't need all that… crap anyway."

"That just seems…weird," Lt. Scott chimed in. "Nearly everybody else got something, and it's only a few days until Christmas now."

Eli couldn't help but to ask, "What did you get, Matt?"

"I got this autographed New York Giants poster. It's totally kick ass, dude! What surprises me is how this elf seems to give people what they want. It's almost like he knows!" Armstrong raised an eyebrow, and when Lt. Scott noticed this, he continued on and asked, "What?"

"You are _not _hanging that poster up in our quarters!"

"Why not, Chloe? It's totally cool! I was raised by a priest, so I wasn't allowed to decorate my room with awesome stuff like that. It would've been unnecessary to spend money repainting my bedroom walls in case we had to move to another church."

"I don't care if you were raised by frickin' apes, Matt! You are not hanging that lame poster in our room… end of story!"

All of this just seemed very humorous to Eli, and he accidentally let out a small giggle. Of course, Matt and Chloe heard this and stared at him inquisitively. "Sorry. I-I-I wasn't laughing at you, or anything," lied Wallace. "There was just something funny I noticed going on behind you guys and….I'm gonna go now, okay?"

_Great job, Eli_, he sardonically thought to himself as he walked to his quarters. _That wasn't obvious at all!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

It was midnight Christmas Day. Just about everyone was asleep, which was a perfect time for Eli to sneak through the corridors and give his last present for the holiday to Nicholas Rush. He was walking to the scientist's quarters when somebody tapped him on his shoulder, which startled him enough where he impulsively let out a small shriek.

"Chloe, how-wha-why are you still up," loudly whispered Eli. "You're usually in bed at this time, right?"

"It's you! My God! You're the Christmas Elf," Armstrong declared with a wide grin.

Obviously, Wallace felt trapped. He was caught, and there was no way out of this now. Eli's face turned red with embarrassment. "Please don't tell anyone, Chloe," he begged.

"Why not? I think what you're doing is wonderful! It's-"

"-not something everyone would do, I know," interrupted Wallace. "That's why I'm asking you to keep this quiet. If people find out that I've been supplying _gifts_ to people for the entire month of December, I'll be made in fun of…even more so than what I already am."

"Fine. Just… tell me this: how did you come across _all _of these presents when we're so far away from home?"

"It was a lot easier than you think." An angled smile grew on Eli's lips. "Every time I used the communication stones, there ended up being some time left to kill so I… took those few minutes to my advantage."

Chloe looked toward the ground for a few moments, smiled, and returned eye contact with Eli. "Why did you choose to do this? I mean, nobody really wants to celebrate Christmas right now because times are rough. Why are _you _being so festive when you're facing these hardships like everyone else?"

"Well…," stuttered Wallace. "I-I really don't-know…why. The only thing I can think of is that I'm just sick of it all. I'm sick of not having ordinary, happy conversations with the people here. Don't you ever just… want to see someone laugh and smile for a change, or celebrate something?"

Eli turned away, tears welling up in his eyes. No matter how much he tried to hide it, Armstrong knew he was weeping. She placed a hand on Wallace's shoulder, and he turned around to face her once again. "Nobody can blame you for feeling that way. I understand what you're going through, believe me. What's remarkable about _you_ is how you are able to take that sense of hopelessness and turn it into something meaningful."

"You think so, huh?"

"I _know _so, Eli. And if you still don't want me to tell anyone about this, then I'll respect that."

As it turned out, Chloe never did tell anyone about Eli being the "Christmas Elf." Wallace had requested she kept that a secret for his peace of mind. The only thing the Christmas Elf wanted for this holiday was to see at least half of the people aboard the ship smile on Christmas Day, and he got his wish.


End file.
